Salem attorney wins citation for focusing on helping those with convictions move into mainstream

People with arrests and convictions on their records face challenges in finding jobs and housing. They have trouble getting a driver’s license, dealing with debt or bankruptcy, regaining custody of their kids or applying to have charges reduced or erased from their records.

Feature (Oregon)

Jake Thomas
Salem Reporter (Oregon)
February 20, 2020
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Organizations mentioned/involved: De Muniz Legal Clinic (Oregon)

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DETAILS

She recalled other success stories, like a woman who would have had no parenting time had she not had an attorney helping. Mansfield recalled how the woman blamed others and took no ownership of the situation. Mansfield said things became confrontational, but her client grew during the experience.

She recalled another client, an elderly disabled veteran, whose lawyer had taken advantage of him and entered problematic pleas on his behalf. But Mansfield said she eventually got the pleadings dismissed and his money back.

Mansfield, who also works as a family lawyer, said that about 40% of the clinic’s work involves removing crimes from her clients’ records. In Oregon, people with criminal convictions can apply to the courts to have crimes removed from their records after enough time has passed and they’ve avoided reoffending.